One of Seychelles' historical buildings, the Carnegie Building, re-opened its doors into a new era on Tuesday following renovation to bring it back to its original architecture. The President of Seychelles, Wavel Ramkalawan, and other high-level officials attended the re-opening ceremony of the building, originally built in 1910 as Seychelles' first public library. Ramkalawan said, «We are thrilled to see the Carnegie Building restored to its former glory. This project demonstrates our commitment to preserving our cultural landmarks while adapting them for future use.» He expressed gratitude to everyone involved in the project and urged continued efforts in preserving Seychelles' history. The secretary general of the Seychelles National Institute of Culture, Heritage and the Arts (SNICHA), David Andre, in his address, said, «Today is a celebration, reviving a building that has been a part of our national heritage, adding another natural beauty to our beautiful town. The building will remain a symbolic heritage for all who are a guardian of our heritage.» The Carnegie was officially re-opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony by President Ramkalawan (centre), Finance Minister Naadir Hassan and secretary general of SNICHA, David Andre. (Seychelles Nation) Photo License: CC-BY   The Carnegie Building was a public library since it was inaugurated on January 22, 1910. In 1964, it was transformed into the Natural History Museum, a role it held until 2019, when time took its toll, forcing its closure due to structural deterioration. With its historical and architectural significance, the building was a prime candidate for restoration, which began a year ago. The renovation was done to preserve the original architectural integrity while updating the structure to meet modern standards. The renovated building will no longer be the Natural History Museum, but will instead have offices belonging to SNICHA on the ground floor. The top floor will house the Public Account Management Unit of the Department of Finance, and a footbridge has been built from the Ministry of Finance office to the Carnegie Building. «In the meantime, we are looking for a space where we will be able to build a larger museum, which will be for both the Natural History and also a marine museum,» said Andre. He added that at the moment the area in which the new museum will be constructed has not been identified, but it will be within Victoria. Andre told reporters that all artefacts previously housed in the Carnegie Building, when it was used in a museum, are safely stored elsewhere. He denied any allegations that they were damaged during the renovation process.

Seychelles is the new chair of the Contact Group on Illicit Maritime Activities (CGIMA) for a two-year term, the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) announced in a recent press release. According to IOC, the Seychelles chairmanship was announced during the virtual 2nd CGIMA Meeting on September 5, and this transition is a key outcome of this annual meeting organised by Kenya. The meeting, attended by over 60 representatives from 10 States and 17 regional and international organisations, provided a comprehensive review of the current maritime situation and the collective actions taken by key stakeholders to deter and suppress piracy and other maritime crimes and threats. Kenya, which held the chairmanship for the past two years, enabled the CGIMA to successfully transit from the Contact Group on Piracy off the coast of Somalia to its broader mandate. This major change would not have been possible without the continuous support and commitment of all partners including that of the regional actors, highlighted Brigadier Sankale Kiswaa, the outgoing CGIMA Chair. «Key regional frameworks and mechanisms, such as the EU Safe Seas Africa programme led by the Indian Ocean Commission, the Maritime Security Architecture through the Regional Coordination of Operations Centre (RCOC), the Regional Maritime Information Fusion Centre (RMIFC) and the enhanced dialogue within the Djibouti Code of Conduct and its Jeddah Amendment (DCoC-JA), have been crucial in advancing maritime security efforts in the region,» said Kiswaa. Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean, is a recognised key stakeholder in maritime security, having previously chaired the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS) twice. Brigadier Micheal Rosette, Chief of the Seychelles People's Defence Forces, expressed profound appreciation to the CGIMA members and partners for their unwavering support. He praised Kenya's outstanding leadership, which has «fostered cooperation, enhanced information sharing and strengthened maritime law enforcement through the establishment of dedicated working groups.» Rosette highlighted that «these initiatives have significantly contributed to safeguarding our shared waters and reinforcing security across the region. Seychelles remains committed to collaborating closely with each partner to build upon the achievements made so far.» A formal handing-over ceremony will be organised in Seychelles to mark the leadership transition. The meeting also addressed escalating threats, including recent Houthis attacks and the potential for ecological and humanitarian disasters, such as the MT Sounion incident. Despite these challenges, participants acknowledged significant progress, including the recent conviction of Somali pirates involved in the MV Central Park case by Somali authorities. Meanwhile, the CGIMA partners emphasised that the changing dynamics of maritime challenges require continued engagement and intensified dialogue among all stakeholders. The focus remains on addressing comprehensively maritime crimes and threats in the Western Indian Ocean, Bab–El–Mandeb, and Red Sea regions. Aside from Seychelles, the other participating countries were Australia, India, Italy, Kenya, Japan, Mauritius, Somalia, Russia and the United States of America. 

The outgoing Ambassador of Switzerland to Seychelles expressed his satisfaction with his contribution to strengthening the good relationship between the two nations after his farewell call on President Wavel Ramkalawan on Tuesday. In an interview with the press, Rolf Stalder emphasised the importance of developing renewable energy and described this as one of the main issues facing many nations around the world. «We have a huge discussion in Switzerland as well about renewables and I think that is a big challenge; how to make a sustainable energy transition. And for every society, whether you are an island state or like Switzerland on the European mainland, it is very difficult. We have to act now, we have to act quickly. Energy is one of the main issues we have to solve,» he said. Stalder also emphasised the urgency of addressing climate change, noting its visible effects. Having only served a term of one year, the outgoing ambassador said he is leaving because he is soon to retire but gave the assurance that his successor would continue to further the excellent relationship between the two countries. «I have to have to retire when I am 65, there is never enough time, we always can do things, but they always say, that if you do not do everything, you just leave something for your successor. My successor has a lot of work, but it was really a very pleasant time, and the relations between our two countries are excellent, so we have no real problem,» said Stalder. The Swiss ambassador was accredited last year and was based in Madagascar. 

The Cabinet of Ministers has requested further exploration of other options for certain infrastructures and the financial plan of the proposed masterplan on the redevelopment of the Seychelles International Airport presented in June. The Minister for Transport, Antony Derjacques, made the statement on Tuesday when answering a private notice question from the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, Sebastien Pillay. Derjacques said, «The masterplan allows us to understand all the aviation infrastructures that our airport will need in the next 30 years. It includes all necessary structures like tourism forecast, how many, and what type of planes will be using the airport. This will allow us to know the dimensions of new infrastructures correctly.»    He said the masterplan has been completed and the last presentation was made to the Cabinet on June 26, but the Cabinet still had some reservations on certain infrastructures and the financial plans. «The funding that we need and the type of funding we will get into this has not been finalised. Analyses are still being done and they are all confidential because we are still discussing with several partners,» explained Derjacques. He added the moment the Cabinet approves the masterplan and its associated costs, including the financial plan to be used, the information will be given to the members of the public and the National Assembly. Derjacques said that although the financial plan has not been finalised to complete the master plan, «there are many groups that want to invest and the Cabinet has asked the ministry to discuss and bring the options in the last and final presentations to the Cabinet.» The major upgrade for the Seychelles International Airport to accommodate the increase in traffic was unveiled in 2022 by Garry Albert, chief executive of the Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA), on the 50th anniversary of the airport's existence. In November 2022, EGIS Emirates was appointed to review and prepare an updated 30-year airport master plan for the Seychelles International Airport. The selection of EGIS Emirates, a global consulting, construction engineering, and operating firm, was completed through a request for proposal through a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC), SCAA, and the Ministry of Transport. In May last year, President Wavel Ramkalawan concluded a meeting in Abu Dhabi for the airport and Port Victoria projects. 

Australia will ban children from using social media with a minimum age limit as high as 16, the prime minister said Tuesday, vowing to get kids off their devices and «onto the footy fields». Federal legislation to keep children off social media will be introduced this year, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said, describing the impact of the sites on young people as a «scourge». The minimum age for children to log into sites like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok has not been decided but is expected to be between 14 and 16 years, Albanese said. An age verification trial will be conducted in the coming months before legislation is introduced by the end of this year, the centre-left leader said. «I want to see kids off their devices and onto the footy fields and the swimming pools and the tennis courts,» Albanese said. «We want them to have real experiences with real people because we know that social media is causing social harm,» he told national broadcaster ABC. In a series of media interviews on the plan, Albanese said his own preference would be for a social media block on children younger than 16. © Agence France-Presse

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets the new UK government on Tuesday, with the close allies expected to share their resolve on Ukraine and paper over differences on Gaza. The top US diplomat's trip comes ahead of a White House visit on Friday by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, his second visit to Washington since his Labour Party triumphed in July elections and swept out the Conservatives after 14 years. While the US-UK «special relationship» has persevered across partisan lines, Labour has traditionally been closer in its core principles to President Joe Biden's Democratic Party. But for Starmer, a full alignment with the Democrats' agenda could carry risks just two months before US elections in which Biden's political heir Kamala Harris is running neck and neck with Republican Donald Trump. Starmer has made clear that he will maintain the previous Conservative government's stance of staunchly backing Ukraine against Russia's invasion, with Britain frequently in the lead in nudging the United States to ease restrictions on military support. Blinken is expected to speak to Starmer and Foreign Secretary David Lammy about ways to rally further behind Ukraine, which is waging a bold offensive into Russian territory as Moscow trudges further on the ground inside Ukraine's east. Last week, London said it was sending 650 new specialist missile systems to boost Ukrainian air defences, after President Volodymyr Zelensky criticised the pace of weapons deliveries. Lammy said London and Washington were «committed to supercharging our alliance», as «in a more volatile and insecure world, it is even more important that we are highly aligned nations». Tuesday's meeting would be the start of a new strategic dialogue to «strengthen the special relationship», and would cover the countries' «unwavering support for Ukraine» and their commitment to peace in the Middle East. «Together we are re-energising our economic partnership, working together to tackle insecurity abroad and facing the future in unity and confidence,» he added. - Harder line - Former human rights lawyer Starmer, however, has taken a harder line than the Conservatives on Israel, which relies on the United States as its foremost backer in the Gaza war. His Labour government last week announced restrictions on some weapons to Israel, voicing concern that they could be used to violate international humanitarian law. The United States declined to criticise Britain's decision, saying that its ally had its own processes to make assessments, even after the US State Department's own review concluded there were no grounds to restrict weapons. The Labour government has also dropped its Conservative predecessor's plans to challenge the right of the International Criminal Court to seek the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The United States -- while backing The Hague-based court when it comes to Russia -- has denounced the bid to target Netanyahu, arguing that Israel has its own ways to ensure accountability. On one issue the Labour government could prove to be a major relief for Biden -- Ireland. Biden, proud of his Irish heritage, has made no secret of his alarm that the Conservatives were jeopardising the fragile peace in Northern Ireland through Britain's divorce with the European Union. Starmer on Saturday paid a friendly visit to Ireland with a goal of resetting relations, with both countries pledging to safeguard the Good Friday Agreement, the landmark US-mediated accord from 1998 that ended decades of sectarian violence over British rule in Northern Ireland. Since taking power, Starmer has moved to begin the repeal of a law granting conditional immunity to perpetrators of crimes during the so-called «Troubles». The State Department said that Blinken would also speak to his British counterparts about Asia, which the United States insists remains a top priority despite needing to focus on the Middle East and Ukraine. The Biden administration forged the three-way AUKUS alliance bringing together the United States, Britain and Australia, bolstering military ties in the face of a rising China. © Agence France-Presse

The Paralympics closed on Sunday with a giant music-fuelled party as chief Paris 2024 organiser Tony Estanguet said the Games and the Olympics had created a «historic summer». The Paralympic flame and cauldron were extinguished before a concert featuring the best of French electronic music capped off proceedings at a packed Stade de France. More than 4,400 athletes from 168 Paralympic delegations partied despite persistent rain. Estanguet said the closing ceremony marked the end of six weeks of Olympic and Paralympic fervour in the City of Light. The former Olympic gold medal-winning canoeist said that period would remain «etched in people's memories». «This summer, France had a date with history, and the country showed up,» he said. «This summer when people talked to each other, this summer when France was happy,» said Estanguet, referring to how France had been left deeply divided by snap elections just weeks before the Olympics opened. The next Paralympics will take place in Los Angeles in 2028. In the official handover, Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo passed the Paralympic flag to International Paralympic Committee president Andrew Parsons, who gave it to Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass. Broadway star Ali Stoker then sang the American national anthem before a film was shown of a band performing on a Californian beach as skateboarders and wheelchair athletes performed tricks. Despite initial fears about ticket sales, the Paralympics took place in mainly full stadiums, benefiting from the feelgood factor from the highly successful Olympics which ended on August 11. Parsons said the Paris Paralympics had shown that «change starts with sport». The level of the sport in Paris, the organisation and the gender parity of the competitors had set a «benchmark» for future Paralympics, he said. The hour-long electronic concert was kicked off by composer Victor Le Masne as LED bracelets worn by the crowd and athletes on the field lit up the stadium. The 24-artist show with highlights including French synthesizer legend Jean-Michel Jarre, Cassius, Busy P and Kungs was rounded off in style by DJ Martin Solveig, who finished his set with 2010 hit «Hello» and then Daft Punk's «One More Time». - China dominance -  China finished top of the medals table in Paris, as they have at every Paralympics since Athens in 2004. They had 94 golds, followed by Britain with 49 and the USA with 36. Ukraine's athletes overcame the formidable obstacles posed by their country's war with Russia to finish in seventh place with 22 golds and host nation France were eighth with 19 golds. In amputee track athletes Hunter Woodhall and 19-year-old Ezra Frech, the USA have found charismatic faces who are sure to play a prominent role in the buildup to LA2028. On the final day of competition, Switzerland won both Paralympic wheelchair marathons while the Netherlands secured back-to-back women's wheelchair basketball titles, denying the USA. Early in the morning, Catherine Debrunner propelled her racing wheelchair through the streets of Paris to win the women's marathon. The 29-year-old Swiss athlete added to the four gold medals she has already won on the track at these Games, ranging from the 400 metres to the 5,000m. Marcel Hug, 38, made up for a disappointing Games on the track by dominating the men's wheelchair marathon, finishing three minutes and 40 seconds ahead of Hua Jin of China. The Netherlands scored a convincing 63-49 win against the USA to retain the women's wheelchair basketball title they won at Tokyo 2020. The Americans must wait until 2028 on home soil before trying to win a title that their men secured for a third Games in a row on Saturday. The USA women's last title came at the 2016 Rio Games. © Agence France-Presse

The first direct and non-stop charter flight operated by Sichuan Airlines, from Chengdu Province in China to Seychelles in November, was officially launched by Seychelles' President Wavel Ramkalawan during his recent visit to China. Ramkalawan led a Seychelles delegation to the Ninth Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing, which took place from September 4 to 6, and the flight was launched during his visit on the sidelines to the Sichuan Province in the south-western part of China. Tourism Seychelles, the marketing branch of the Tourism Department, announced the charter flight by Sichuan Airlines in November in June. Tourism Seychelles said in a press statement that the flight, which will take around 8 hours and 50 minutes, will begin a new chapter in air connectivity between the two destinations. Additional flights are currently being discussed and considered. Sherin Francis, principal secretary of the Department of Tourism said, «We are delighted to welcome the charter flight between Seychelles and China. This initial charter flight represents a significant step in diversifying Seychelles' tourism markets and opening our islands to the growing Chinese travel market. We are optimistic about the potential for expanding this route in the near future.» According to figures from the National Bureau of Statistics on September 4, a total of 1,961 visitors from China visited Seychelles in 2024 so far. Chengdu, the vibrant capital of Sichuan province in China, is a major economic and transportation hub, making it an ideal departure point for Chinese visitors eager to explore Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean. Ramkalawan also held fruitful discussions with leaders of the Sichuan Province as well as witnessed the signing of the International Friendly Cooperative Cities agreement between Victoria and Chengdu.  

Seychelles and Mauritius have agreed to have petroleum exploration within the Joint Management Area (JMA) of the Mascarene Plateau at a recent meeting of the Technical Committee of the Joint Commission of the extended continental shelf. This will start with a multi-client survey, including a seismic survey, to know if, where, and how much oil reserves are in the area. Speaking to SNA, Philippe Michaud, co-chair of the meeting, confirmed that negotiations are underway with a company interested in undertaking the survey. Once this is done, an agreement will be signed, leading to an environmental impact assessment (EIA), before work can start. He did not reveal the name of the company as no confirmation has been given, but Spectrum Geo is the company that was announced in 2018 when the idea to explore the Mascarene Plateau was first put forward.   «There are a lot of risks involved in oil exploration and there were a lot of factors, including low oil prices, the came the pandemic and now the interest is rising and so we are optimistic,» said Michaud. He added that for this survey, there are no direct costs for Seychelles and only once the extraction of oil begins can Seychelles and Mauritius get 50 percent each of whatever revenue it generates. «We will, however, be involved in all the processes though, with our technical committee participating. At the moment, I am unable to give you a time frame of how when things will be fully off the ground,» added Michaud. The Joint Management Area is the mechanism of joint jurisdiction between Seychelles and Mauritius over an area of the seabed and its underlying subsoil in the Mascarene Plateau Region. It excludes the water and living organisms above the shelf. A treaty was signed in 2012 and the two island nations secured rights to additional seabed covering over 400,000 square kilometres in the Indian Ocean. The process involved the preparation of a joint continental shelf submission to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf under an internationally agreed process established by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Seychelles and Mauritius have established the world's first Joint Management Zone covering such an area, and a Joint Commission to coordinate and manage the exploration, conservation and development of the living and non-living resources of the seabed in the area. Michaud explained that other outcomes from the meeting, which took place between August 26 to 28, were related to sea cucumber fishing, where he said that they discussed having a second campaign for the exploratory harvesting of the species in the area. He added that with this second campaign, they will be looking at certain changes to the existing conditions.   «In the second phase we want boats to explore a larger zone and more variety of the species, so that we get a better idea of the stock, after which we will be able to put in place a management plan for that stock,» said Michaud.

Pope Francis arrived to a rock star welcome Monday in East Timor, where he will rally the Catholic-majority nation's faithful with a huge mass expected to attract more than half the country's 1.3 million population. Catholic devotees have clamoured to see Francis as he headed to Asia's youngest nation -- making pilgrimages from faraway towns and hours-long crossings of its border with Indonesia. Tens of thousands lined the streets of the capital Dili, waving flags and umbrellas in the Vatican colours while screaming as the 87-year-old was driven through the streets flanked by security. He appeared in good spirits after landing from Papua New Guinea for the third stop of a gruelling 12-day Asia-Pacific tour, waving and smiling to a swarm of devotees trying to catch a glimpse of him. He stopped briefly to bless a baby handed to him. «When I saw his face, I got goosebumps. I firmly believe that his presence brings peace and hope,» Magdalena Tagnipis, a 49-year-old Filipina who made the trip from Australia, told AFP. «I really feel that the Timorese people have really given their all to welcome the pope. They gave love and I think the pope felt that.» The pontiff was gifted a traditional scarf after arriving to an honour guard and greetings by President Jose Ramos-Horta at Dili's airport, which is closed to civilian flights for three days. He will address East Timor officials and diplomats later Monday but the trip's highlight will be the colossal mass on Tuesday, which is expected to draw 700,000 worshippers. In the small seaside city sandwiched between mountains and the turquoise waters of the Ombai Strait, celebrations over the three-day visit were already in full swing. The city had an expensive makeover before the visit and authorities have relocated poor street-dwellers, including vendors in areas where Francis will travel, prompting criticism on social media. Rights groups say some makeshift homes built by the poor were demolished in preparation for the mass. The government says they were erected illegally. Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao swept the streets with locals to help clean up the city before the pontiff's arrival. - Complex history - East Timor has a complex history marked by centuries-long Portuguese rule, decades of occupation by neighbouring Indonesia, and a United Nations-backed referendum that allowed it to break free. Francis is the first pope to visit the country, where about 98 percent of its 1.3 million people are Catholics, since its independence more than two decades ago. The country became formally independent in 2002, emerging from a brutal Indonesian occupation that left more than 200,000 Timorese dead. The most sensitive issue facing the pontiff on this trip is child abuse cases linked to East Timor's clergy in recent years. Advocacy groups have called for Francis to speak out on the issue, but his official schedule currently includes no events with victims. Cases include Nobel-winning Bishop Carlos Ximenes Belo, who the Vatican secretly punished over allegations he sexually abused young children for decades. Locals said they want the pope to bring a message of harmony -- as he did in Indonesia last week. «I hope that through this visit Papa Francisco will bring a message of peace,» said Francisco Amaral da Silva, a 58-year-old lecturer. Francis' schedule includes meetings with Jesuits, children and the Catholic faithful. - Red carpet - It is not only Timorese from around the country who will join the huge mass, to be held in a wide wetland area known as Tasitolu. A local immigration office in Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara province predicted many people would cross the border for the visit. East Timor is one of the world's poorest countries, heavily reliant on oil and gas revenues that experts say could be depleted within years. Despite that, the government is rolling out the red carpet for Francis. It has allocated $12 million for the visit, including $1 million for the mass altar alone -- which stood beside a large crucifix. With around 42 percent of East Timor's population living below the poverty line, Francis is likely to touch on economic and social issues. Others were using his visit to sell pope merchandise. Teacher Silverio Tilman, 58, set up a stall selling pope T-shirts, raking in more than $600 in two days -- double the average monthly salary. «We prepare these items, in case the pilgrims need them to attend the holy mass. We are not seeking big profits,» he said. © Agence France-Presse

Less than half of Algeria's eligible voters cast a ballot in the country's presidential poll, preliminary figures from electoral authorities showed early Sunday, despite incumbent Abdelmadjid Tebboune's hopes for a high turnout. Tebboune, 78, is heavily favoured to secure a second term, seeing off moderate Islamist Abdelaali Hassani, 57, and socialist candidate Youcef Aouchiche, 41. His main challenge was to increase the voter participation level in Saturday's vote after a historic abstention rate of over 60 percent in 2019, the year he became president. More than 24 million Algerians were registered to vote this year, with about a third under the age of 40. Electoral board ANIE announced early Sunday an «average turnout» rate of 48 percent, but did not provide the total number of people who cast a ballot. ANIE said the figure was «provisional», adding that it would give an official turnout rate later on Sunday along with the election's results. The announcement came three hours behind schedule after the election board said on Saturday evening that it was extending voting by one hour, expecting more voters to show up. «Voters wondered what was the point of voting when all predictions are in favour of the president,» said analyst Hasni Abidi, calling the candidates' bids «mediocre». He said Tebboune «barely did four rallies», while his challengers «weren't up to the task». «Not voting does not mean political opposition,» he added. «Rather, it means people did not see themselves as part of the electoral game.» Both of Tebboune's challengers had called for a large turnout Saturday morning. «Today we start building our future by voting for our project and leaving boycott and despair behind us,» Aouchiche said on national television after voting. Hassani told journalists he hoped «the Algerian people will vote in force» because «a high turnout gives greater credibility to these elections». But Tebboune did not mention voter numbers, saying only that he hoped «Algeria will win in any case» after voting in Algiers. He said that whoever wins «will continue the project» of what he often calls the New Algeria -- the country that emerged following mass pro-democracy protests. «I came early to exercise my duty and choose the president of my country in a democratic manner,» Sidali Mahmoudi, a 65-year-old early voter, told AFP. Seghir Derouiche, 72, told AFP that not voting was «ignoring one's right». Two women, Taous Zaiedi, 66, and Leila Belgaremi, 42, said they were voting to «improve the country». Algerians abroad have been able to vote since Monday. - 'Winner known in advance' - ANIE is set to announce the official results on Sunday. Yet the winner was «known in advance», political commentator Mohamed Hennad posted on Facebook before voting began, referring to Tebboune. Tebboune's opponents stood little chance because of low support and the «conditions in which the electoral campaign took place, which is nothing more than a farce», Hennad wrote. The 2019 low turnout had followed the Hirak pro-democracy protests, which toppled former president Abdelaziz Bouteflika before they were quashed with ramped-up policing and the jailing of hundreds of people. This year's election still failed to enthuse Algerians, and campaign rallies have struggled to generate interest in the nation of 45 million, partly because of the summer heat. With young people making up more than half the population, all three candidates have courted their votes with promises to improve living standards and reduce dependence on hydrocarbons. Tebboune has touted economic successes during his first term, including more jobs and higher wages in Africa's largest exporter of natural gas. His challengers have vowed to grant the people more freedoms. Aouchiche says he is committed «to release prisoners of conscience through an amnesty and to review unjust laws», including on media and terrorism. Hassani has advocated «freedoms that have been reduced to nothing in recent years». Political analyst Abidi said Tebboune should address the major deficit in political and media freedoms, with Algerians having «divorced from current politics» after the Hirak protests ended. Five years later, rights group Amnesty International said Algerian authorities were «committed to maintaining a zero-tolerance approach towards dissenting opinions». © Agence France-Presse

The use of vegan candles made using plant-based waxes instead of animal-derived ingredients is a worldwide trend and in Seychelles it is no exception as Sey Glow, from Praslin Island, has ventured into this type of business. Beverley Green, owner of Sey Glow, a candlemaking business she owns along with her husband Craig, is producing plant-based materials to to make vegan, eco-friendly candles on Praslin Island, the second most populated island of Seychelles. Green told SNA that when deciding on the name she wanted something that would represent Seychelles, hence the abbreviation Sey, but also a name that would allow her to diversify her products, as she intends to add more products to the brand. «I think I chose glow because it reminded me of candlelight but could also be linked to skin care for example, if we chose to go down that path in the future. I did not want to choose a name that would restrict the kind of products we could offer,» she explained. The inspiration for Sey Glow Green said she was a nail technician and beautician and had been in the beauty industry for nearly 10 years with her own salon on Praslin but after a really bad injury, she had to rethink her business plans. «This is where candle making came in, I still work as a nail technician, but candle making has given me the chance to reduce my hours in the salon and focus on something therapeutic that I can put lots of hours in on my good days instead of having to worry about so much on my bad days. It has allowed me to take a step back a bit as long hours in the salon would lead to a lot of painful days because of my injury but has still allowed me to contribute financially to my household,» she said. Green said she lost a mother figure on her 30th birthday, so she officially launched the business on Women's Day on March 8 last year. The candles are produced using plant-based materials. (Mandy Bertin) Photo License: All Rights Reserved    Sey Glow collections «Our first is the Seychelles Collection inspired by our people, culture, and traditions. I wanted to create a product that could be appreciated locally, but that you would also find on a coffee table, let's say in London that would become sort of a centrepiece and create good conversation. Someone could pick up the candle and be like » Wow this smells nice, where is the Seychelles?« and take it from there,» said Green. «I chose the specific names to create a distinct personality for this collection, to set us apart from other candle businesses, and to showcase our uniqueness as a country. As a Seychellois woman, I can pick up one of our 'Fanm Kreol' (Creole Woman) candles for example and it just creates this sense of pride and makes a perfect gift,» she shared. The prices range from SCR250 ($18.6) to SCR600 ($45) currently and are available at several locations including Island Stress Relief on Praslin, The Skin Bar, Sasha's Beauty Box, Koral Souvenir Boutique, Seychelles Travellers Edition and Lo Brizan. Green said for the materials in her candles she did a lot of market research and testing beforehand and found that a lot of the imported candle brands in Seychelles are full of toxic chemicals and are made of harmful waxes. «I chose coconut wax, which is one of the cleanest waxes you will find and our brand is focused on using sustainable products, that are handmade with premium fragrance oils that are both paraben and phthalate-free. I chose to venture into vegan products as I wanted to reduce our carbon footprint in an ever-growing world that is becoming more and more conscious of the environmental impacts of products,» she added. Sey Glow is in the process of launching its second collection, named after Green's aunt Jane, the mother figure mentioned earlier. «She loved candles and I wanted to create a collection in her memory to honour her impact on my life and that of my family. I also want to make cold compressed soaps, but I want to take my time and not rush into creating new products. It has only been a year that we have been in business, and I want to make sure everything we create matches the energy I want to put out there. The goal is to create a local brand identity that we can pass onto our children,» Green added. Constraints in this business «I would have to say starting capital, most stockists want to work on a commission basis, which means you stock products at their location and are paid after every sales month. This can be especially hard when you are just starting as you do not have sufficient cash flow to buy new products, as well as keep stockists well stocked whilst investing in new product ideas, so you need a lot of discipline,» she said. Green told SNA that comparison is also a constraint and some consumers do not understand that you cannot compare a factory-made candle with a handmade one, it is like comparing night and day. «I think we have a long way to go in terms of understanding the value of handmade products and ingredients like paraffin wax versus coconut wax, fragrance oils versus premium oils. Availability of materials is also another constraint, most if not all the raw materials are not available locally which makes it very expensive to make the final product,» she added. On the opportunity for new business ventures, she said, «I feel like there is a lack of opportunity, if you are new you need to knock on several doors before one opens for you. A lot of people won't even consider working with you as they already have a 'local supplier' so it can be harder. I feel like artisans and artists, in general, tend to struggle, we do not get a lot of visibility, there are not a lot of activities that involve us, and there is a lack of recognition for our work. I do believe though that things will improve in time and continue to be hopeful for the future.» The need to be different «I am not the only candle maker in Seychelles nor am I the first. We have so many retailers that import major candle brands and the market is saturated so it is important to have a strong brand identity and image so that you can stand out,» she remarked. The entrepreneur pointed out that the type of wax used is also a vital component. The majority of factory-made candles are made using petroleum-based paraffin wax, as oil is used to make paraffin its production releases stored carbon into the atmosphere furthering the greenhouse effect. «Not only is it a toxic production process but these types of candles also release toxic chemicals into your home when you burn them which have been linked to endocrine disruption, reproductive problems and even cancer. We have chosen to make our candles from a coconut and soy wax blend that is vegan, eco-friendly, non-toxic, and sourced sustainably,» she concluded. «Burn time is also another factor. The vegan candles burn slower because of the type of wax we use, natural waxes have a much longer burn time which means a longer-lasting candle. They also have a very strong cold throw, which means they smell good even when they are not lit,» said Green.

The President of Seychelles, Wavel Ramkalawan, participated in the Ninth Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing, which took place from September 4 to 6.  Below are the highlights of the events and activities of President Ramkalawan in China.    2024 FOCAC African Heads of State and Government attending the 2024 FOCAC Summit- Souvenir Group photo.      Bilateral discussions between Seychelles and China.      Official Banquet - President Ramkalawan and First Lady Linda Ramkalawan and President of China, Xi Jinping and Chinese First Lady, Peng Liyuan.       Bilateral meeting between President Ramkalawan and a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, Cai Qi.       President Ramkalawan delivering his remarks during the 2024 FOCAC High Level meeting on Peace and Security.     Meeting Seychellois students and Diaspora living and working in Beijing, China.      Ramkalawan visited the Seychelles Embassy in Beijing, accompanied by First Lady Linda Ramkalawan and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism Sylvestre Radegonde.        President Ramkalawan held talks with Sichuan Province leaders.        President Ramkalawan greets Seychellois student studying in China, assisting the Department of Tourism during their promotional activities.           

Seventeen boys were confirmed dead and 70 missing after a fire tore through a primary school dormitory in central Kenya, officials said Friday, leaving distraught relatives desperate for news of their loved ones. The blaze at the Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri county broke out around midnight, engulfing rooms where more than 150 boys were sleeping. President William Ruto declared three days of national mourning starting from Monday after what he described as an «unfathomable tragedy». He said 17 children aged between nine and 13 had lost their lives, vowing to find out how the disaster had happened and hold those responsible accountable. Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua told reporters at the scene of the disaster that 70 youngsters were still unaccounted for, while 27 were in hospital. He described the scene as «gory» and said painstaking investigative work using DNA would be required to help identify the victims, also urging relatives and members of the community to help in tracing the missing. «The bodies recovered at the scene were burnt beyond recognition,» national police spokesperson Resila Onyango told AFP. Tensions were running high among families gathered at the school as they anxiously awaited news. Many broke down into anguished wailing and tears after officials took them to see the charred bodies in the destroyed dorm. «Please look for my kid. He can't be dead. I want my child,» one woman cried in distress as she left the school. - 'Panic mode' - The cause of the inferno was not yet known but Kenya's National Gender and Equality Commission said initial reports indicated the dorm was «overcrowded, in violation of safety standards», and called for an immediate inquiry. «We parents are in panic mode,» said Timothy Kinuthia, who has been hunting for news of his 13-year-old boy. «We have been here since 5:00 am and we have been told nothing.» AFP footage showed the blackened shell of the dormitory, with its corrugated iron roof completely collapsed. The destroyed building was sealed off by yellow police tape, with officers stationed at all access points. The school, which reportedly catered to some 800 children, is located in a semi-rural area around 170 kilometres (100 miles) north of the capital Nairobi. An AFP journalist saw survivors wrapped in blue blankets against the cold, being loaded into school buses. Alice Wanjiku said she had come from Nairobi to search for her orphaned nephew. «We have not heard anything since morning. I will camp here until I find our baby. He is the joy of our family and I hope to find him.» - 'Traumatised' children - Speaking at the scene, Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki said some of the pupils had ended up in neighbouring homes. «There are some children who are alive and well, but they are of course traumatised and they are in the hands of those who gave them refuge last night,» said Kindiki. The Kenyan Red Cross said it was on the ground assisting a multi-agency response team and providing psychosocial support. There have been numerous school fires in Kenya and across East Africa. In 2016, nine students were killed by a fire at a girls' high school in the sprawling slum neighbourhood of Kibera in Nairobi. In 2001, 67 pupils were killed in an arson attack on their dormitory at a secondary school Kenya's southern Machakos district. Two pupils were charged with murder, and the headmaster and deputy of the school were convicted of negligence. In 1994, 40 school children were burned alive and 47 injured in a fire that tore through a girls' school in Tanzania's Kilimanjaro region. In 2022, a blaze ravaged a school for the blind in eastern Uganda. Eleven pupils died after they were trapped inside their shared bedroom because the building had been burglar-proofed, government ministers said at the time. © Agence France-Presse

The Department of Information Communication Technology (DICT) has announced new online tools that will help push Seychelles towards the digital era and various government services will now be accessible through the internet. The DICT What's New event was held at the Eden Bleu Hotel on Friday and the Department shared the apps and portals that will allow individuals access to government services from the comfort of their homes. «We saw that there is a lack of innovation in the country and we wanted to make things more effective, which is why we partnered with government sectors and looked at how we can make innovations to help their services reach the public more effectively,» said Kevin Marie, a senior analyst at DICT. The new applications and websites include «Mon Servis» (My Services), which is a catalogue of all online services the government provides, while «Biz Auth Portal» allows organisations that want to access these online services to register their respective staff members to access them. «For example, if an organisation wants to renew the business licence and the road fund licence of one of its cars, it can now do it through this platform,» added Marie. Other innovations include the addition of more features to the SeyID app, CertExpress - which allows users to request and pay for various government certificates, such as birth or marriage certificates, and a driving licence service through which driving licences can be renewed online. DICT also shared two concepts that it is working on - e-fines - which will allow for payment of fines online, while Sey-Address, will allow users to register their address, which can then be used as proof of address from banks and other services. All these innovations have been possible through the SeyID app, which was launched in 2022. A SeyID is required to access these services. SeyID was introduced to provide convenience and security when accessing government services online, by giving the choice to create a digital identity with an accredited identity app, which can be used to prove who you are online. According to Marie, some of these services are already available, but for people to keep up-to-date with these services, they can visit the DICT website and FaceBook page.  

The Indian Ocean Youth and Sport Commission (CJSOI) Games will be held in Seychelles from July 28 to August 10, 2024, and it has been confirmed that the Games will include 11 sporting disciplines for youths aged between 14 to 17 years.   The sports are judo, badminton, athletics, swimming, boxing, volleyball, football, basketball, sailing, beach soccer and weightlifting. In a press conference on Thursday, the chief executive of the National Sports Council (NSC), Marc Arrisol, confirmed that a steering committee has been set up and is in the process of creating a local organising committee to ensure the Games run smoothly. «The operations of the NSC is quite large and so it will be wise for us, just as in previous games, to get additional people in to take key positions for the games,» said Arissol. He added that they have identified people who have worked with previous Games organised in Seychelles to assist with this one. One of the issues that continue to plague local sports when it comes to preparing for big games, is the delays in federations submitting the proper documents concerning their budgets and training plans for the athletes. Arissol is appealing to all of them to submit all the relevant documents, with the required information, so that the NSC can proceed to offer the help needed. «We want the federations to give detailed plans and budgets so that we can evaluate and offer them the financial assistance that is needed. I want to be clear that there will be a ceiling, for example, a federation can ask for two million (Seychelles rupees), but that will not necessarily be what we give out,» added Arrisol. Another big concern ahead of the Games in 2025 is the state of the local sporting facilities. The CEO confirmed that they are receiving the necessary support from the government to ensure that all facilities are up to standard for the Games. At the moment, the athletics track at Stad Linite is ready, while there are works still ongoing at other facilities, such as the Palais des Sports. There are also plans to renovate other venues, including the Roche Caiman Dojo, and the La Promenade Gymnasium, among others are in place. For these games, there will not be a Games Village as is traditional for such events but Arrisol confirmed that athletes will be accommodated in several hotels in the country. With the Games taking place at a time when most youths in Seychelles are in school, Arissol has explained that they are in discussions with the Ministry of Education.   «Next year will be quite different in terms of the school year, because we will have two big events that will disrupt the schools, and they are the Beach Soccer World Cup (May) and of course, the CJSOI Games,» explained Arissol. «We are in discussions with the Ministry for a proposed readjusting of their school calendar to ensure the youth can attend these events.» The CJSOI Games, introduced in 1994, have as prime objectives promoting friendship between the youth of the participating nations and fostering regional cooperation. Seychelles, Mauritius, Madagascar, Reunion - a French overseas department - Djibouti, Mayotte and Comoros as the participating countries, with sports and cultural exchanges as part of the event. The last Games were held in Mauritius in 2022 and Seychelles finished in third place with 45 medals, 12 gold, 12 silver, and 21 bronze. The winner of the event was Reunion, an overseas French Department, with 142 medals, 57 gold, 56 silver and 29 bronze. Mauritius was second with 138 medals - 46 gold, 44 silver and 48 bronze. 

Mozambique has approved Africa's largest mangrove restoration project with 200 million trees to be planted over 60 years, the developer which bagged the licence said on Thursday. Gulf-based Blue Forest said it would start work in November, adding it had obtained the licence after around two-and-a-half years of feasibility studies. «We will start planting the first of the 200 million mangroves in Quelimane, Zambezia, this November, in line with the start of the rainy season in Mozambique,» Blue Forest founder and CEO Vahid Fotuhi told AFP. The project aims to cover an area spanning 155,000 hectares (over 383,000 acres), or twice the size of Singapore, he said. The trees will restore Mozambique's degraded coastline and create around 5,000 forestry jobs, Fotuhi added. Mangroves are one of the world’s most efficient plants at capturing carbon dioxide and their tangled roots stabilise coastlines and reduce erosion, also providing shelter for fish and other creatures. Mozambique has an extensive mangrove ecosystem which has been damaged by cyclones and flooding as well as logging and clearing. Over its 60-year lifespan, the MozBlue project is expected to remove about 20.4 million tons of CO2, contributing to efforts to mitigate climate change, Fotuhi said. © Agence France-Presse

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday urged both Israel and Hamas to finalize a Gaza truce, standing by US assessments that 90 percent of a deal was ready. Blinken said that the United States would be offering further ideas in coming days through mediators Egypt and Qatar in hopes of sealing an agreement. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in an interview with Fox News on Thursday denied a US official's assessment that 90 percent of a deal was ready, saying «it's not close.» But Blinken repeated the assessment at a news conference during a visit to Haiti, saying, «I think based on what I've seen, 90 percent is agreed.» «It's really incumbent on both parties to get to yes on these remaining issues,» Blinken said. «As close as I believe we are to getting a ceasefire agreement, every day that goes by where it is not finalized and the parties don't say, 'yes, period,' is a day in which something else happens, and there is an intervening event which simply pushes things off and runs the risk of derailing what is a pretty fragile apple cart,» he said. The United States in recent weeks has pushed a proposal to bridge gaps between both sides, which include disagreements over Netanyahu's insistence on leaving some Israeli troops on the border between Gaza and Egypt. Blinken said he believed that Netanyahu, who has put a top priority on normalizing diplomatic relations with Arab states, could still reach a historic deal with Saudi Arabia, the guardian of Islam's two holiest shrines. Blinken did not rule out an agreement before Biden leaves office in January. «I think if we can get a ceasefire in Gaza, there remains an opportunity through the balance of this administration to move forward on normalization,» he said. © Agence France-Presse

A new centre, the Affiliate Youth Leadership Space, has opened in Seychelles' capital, Victoria, to help Seychellois youth develop their abilities. The centre, an initiative of the United States Embassy in collaboration with the Seychelles National Youth Council (SNYC), opened on Friday. In his address, American Ambassador to Seychelles and Mauritius, Henry Jardine, explained that the centre aims to be «a dynamic hub whether you are seeking resources from the U.S., sparking new ideas or developing the skills to become tomorrow's leaders.» Young people visiting the space will benefit from educational and cultural programmes, which Jardine said, «Are building bridges between Seychelles and the United States, bringing our nations closer together and creating a brighter future for all.» The U.S. Embassy and SNYC have been working on the project for the past couple of months, evaluating various factors such as its location, the number of youths that visit the SNYC building as well the services the Council offers them. The chief executive of the Council, Albert Duncan, described the space programme as one that makes everything possible. He appealed to young people in the country «to visit the space as we have an internet connection, we will be running programmes here soon and you are welcome to come and use the available resources.» The Affiliate Youth Leadership Space in Seychelles is open from 8 am to 4 pm daily with the possibility of staying open for longer if talks are being held there. Duncan explained that the programmes will be up to the standards that the U.S. requires in areas that will include cultural exchanges and technology. Based at the SNYC offices at the SACOS Tower in Victoria, next to the central bus station, Jardine said that the location was very convenient for youngsters to pay a visit. «This way if the youths are arriving in the morning or going home in the evening they can come here and spend time and relax with friends. It is great that it is another space where they can be young and learning and talking to people and exchanging ideas and if they have some spare time, they can come into that space,» he said. In addition to providing  a space where youth and others can have a very positive experience, Jardine said it was also «part of our outreach to the youth in the Seychelles community.» He explained that the U.S. had 700 of these spaces in 145 other countries where it has a presence to do public diplomacy and outreach and «where we bring people together through programmes and speakers and other activities that are in the community.» Meanwhile, youngsters wishing to take part in any activities or programmes being held in the space will have to closely follow SYNC's social media platforms where they will be advertised. 

A strategy being developed in Seychelles to enhance access to and utilisation of climate finance is expected to be finalised in December and a consultation meeting with stakeholders was held on Thursday to engage them in the process. Julius Joubert, a senior economist in the National Planning Department, told reporters that Seychelles under its international agreements, like the Paris Agreement, which is one for climate change, there are different components and all countries must make provisions to take action to face climate change through projects.    «We are foreseeing investments in infrastructures, and capacity building in different projects that will build up our resilience to climate change. We have looked at several studies done on how much it will cost us and how much we will have to raise with our partners,» he said. Joubert added that this is one of the main reasons for the workshop on the Climate Finance Resource Mobilisation Strategy as, «We have to engage all our stakeholders so that they also participate as the government will not be able to cater to all the expenses.»  In her address, the principal secretary for National Planning in the Ministry of Finance, National Planning and Trade, Elizabeth Agathine, said that Seychelles has been at the forefront of the climate change agenda, often being dealt heavy blows due to the adverse effects of climate change, in the form of adverse climatic phenomena. «At the highest level, the Ministry of Finance and the government in its entirety, is integrating climate change resilience into all its core business. This is reflected in the new National Development Strategy 2024-2028 launched earlier this year,» she added. She said that once finalised, the Climate Finance Resource Mobilisation Strategy will span from 2025 to 2030, and it will provide an opportunity to explore and harness both existing and innovative funding sources, leveraging our strengths while tackling challenges and overcoming barriers. Agathine added that this strategy is being crafted to align with Seychelles' broader international commitments, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and the Resilience Sustainability Facility (RSF) under the country's economic reform programme, supported by the IMF. «The RSF, a three-year initiative providing up to $46 million, is designed to help Seychelles strengthen its climate resilience, maximise synergies and act as catalyst vis a vis other official funding sources, and attract additional private investment in climate-related projects,» she emphasised.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping pledged on Thursday more than $50 billion in financing for Africa over the next three years, promising to deepen cooperation in infrastructure and trade with the continent as he addressed Beijing's biggest summit since the Covid pandemic. More than 50 African leaders and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres are attending the China-Africa forum, according to state media. African leaders already secured a plethora of deals this week for greater cooperation in infrastructure, agriculture, mining, trade and energy. Xi hailed ties with Africa as their «best period in history» as he addressed the leaders at the forum's opening ceremony in Beijing's ornate Great Hall of the People on Thursday. «China is ready to deepen cooperation with African countries in industry, agriculture, infrastructure, trade and investment,» he said. «Over the next three years, the Chinese government is willing to provide financial support amounting to 360 billion yuan ($50.7 billion),» Xi said. More than half of that will be in credit, he said, with $11 billion «in various types of assistance» as well as $10 billion through encouraging Chinese firms to invest. He also promised to help «create at least one million jobs for Africa». Xi pledged $141 million in grants for military assistance, saying Beijing would «provide training for 6,000 military personnel and 1,000 police and law enforcement officers from Africa». Guterres told the forum that growing ties between China and Africa could «drive the renewable energy revolution». «China's remarkable record of development -- including on eradicating poverty -– provides a wealth of experience and expertise,» he said. Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi hailed the summit as a «complete success» at a joint news conference with his Senegalese and Congolese counterparts later on Thursday. «When China stands shoulder to shoulder alongside (its) African strategic partners, we will inevitably play a greater role in promoting prosperity for the peoples of China and Africa, and in upholding global peace and stability,» Wang said. Congo's Jean-Claude Gakosso described China-Africa relations as «exceptional». South African President Cyril Ramaphosa lauded China's $50 billion pledge as a «great boon» for Africa. - Deals and pledges - China, the world's number two economy, is Africa's largest trading partner and has sought to tap the continent's vast troves of natural resources including copper, gold, lithium and rare earth minerals. It has also furnished African countries with billions in loans that have helped build much-needed infrastructure but have sometimes stoked controversy by saddling governments with huge debts. Analysts say that Beijing's largesse towards Africa is being recalibrated in the face of economic trouble at home and that geopolitical concerns over a growing tussle with the United States may increasingly be driving policy. Bilateral meetings held on the sidelines of the summit delivered a slew of pledges on greater cooperation in projects from railways to solar panels and avocados. Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema said after meetings on Wednesday he had overseen a deal between his country's state-owned power company ZESCO and Beijing's PowerChina to expand the use of rooftop solar panels. China and Nigeria -- one of Beijing's biggest debtors in Africa -- signed an agreement to «deepen cooperation» in infrastructure, including «transportation, ports and free trade zones». - Expanding transport links - Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan obtained a commitment from Xi to push for new progress on a long-stalled railway connecting his country to neighbouring Zambia. That project -- towards which Zambian media says Beijing has pledged $1 billion -- is aimed at expanding transport links in the resource-rich eastern part of the continent. Zimbabwe also won promises from Beijing for deeper cooperation in «agriculture, mining, environmentally friendly traditional and new energy (and) transportation infrastructure», according to a joint statement. The southern African nation and Beijing also agreed to sign a deal that would allow the export of fresh Zimbabwean avocados to China, it said. Kenyan leader William Ruto said Xi had also promised to open up China's markets to agricultural products from his country. The two sides agreed to work together on the expansion of Kenya's Standard Gauge Railway, which connects the capital Nairobi with the port city of Mombasa and was built with finance from Exim Bank of China. Ruto also secured a pledge for greater cooperation with China on the Rironi-Mau Summit-Malaba motorway, which Kenyan media has said is expected to cost $1.2 billion. Ruto asked China last year for a $1 billion loan and the restructuring of existing debt to complete other stalled construction projects. Kenya now owes China more than $8 billion. © Agence France-Presse

Outrage and sorrow greeted the death on Thursday of Ugandan Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei, who succumbed to severe burns after being doused with petrol and set on fire by her boyfriend. It was the latest horrific act of gender-based violence in the East African country, where activists have warned of a rising femicide epidemic. Cheptegei's death has been described as «senseless» and «a despicable crime». The 33-year-old long distance runner died at about 5:30 am (0230 GMT), the doctor treating her at a hospital in Eldoret in western Kenya told reporters. «Her injuries were extensive and covered most parts of her body. It led to multiple organ failure,» said Kimani Mbugua, head of the intensive care unit at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital. «We tried our best but we did not succeed. Looking at her age and the over 80 percent burns she suffered, the hope of recovery was slim.» Police have said the man who carried out the attack in her home in Endebess in the western county of Trans-Nzoia was a Kenyan man identified as Cheptegei's partner, Dickson Ndiema Marangach. Kenyan media reports said her two young daughters had witnessed the brutal assault. It took place just weeks after Cheptegei had made her Olympic debut in the women's marathon at the Paris Games, where she finished in 44th. Marangach was also injured in the incident, sustaining 30 percent burns. His current condition is not known. - 'Vicious attack' - The attack on Cheptegei made global headlines and has been widely condemned by the athletics community and women's rights groups. Kenyan Sports Minister Kipchumba Murkomen said it was a «stark reminder» that more must be done to combat gender-based violence. The Paris Olympics organisers voiced their «profound indignation and sadness» at her death. «This despicable crime reminds us of the alarming reality of violence affecting too many women in society.» Uganda Olympic Committee chief Donald Rukare described it as a «vicious attack by her boyfriend». «This was a cowardly and senseless act that has led to the loss of a great athlete.» The Kenya National Olympic Committee also described her death as a «profound loss». «Rebecca's talent and perseverance as Uganda's Women's Marathon record holder and a Paris 2024 Olympian will always be remembered and celebrated.» Police said Marangach had sneaked into Cheptegei's home near the border with Uganda on Sunday afternoon while she was at church with her two children. A police report said they were a couple who «constantly had family wrangles». Her father Joseph Cheptegei has called for justice for his daughter. He told reporters Thursday that the property where she lived with her sister and daughters was the source of the problems between the pair. He had told Kenyan media earlier this week that Marangach had bought five litres of petrol and hid out in a chicken coop before the attack. «He poured the petrol and lit her on fire. When she called her sister to help, he threatened her with a machete and she ran away.» - 'I cried for help' - Kenya's The Standard newspaper reported that Cheptegei's daughters, aged nine and 11, had witnessed the assault. «He kicked me while I tried to run to the rescue of my mother,» it reported one of the girls as saying. «I immediately cried out for help, attracting a neighbour who tried to extinguish the flames with water, but it was not possible.» The attack has again thrown a spotlight on domestic violence in Kenya. In October 2021, record-breaking Kenyan runner Agnes Tirop, 25, was found stabbed to death at her home in the renowned Rift Valley running hub of Iten in a killing that shocked Kenya and the world of athletics. Her estranged husband is on trial over her murder and has denied the charges. In April 2022, Kenyan-born Bahrainian athlete Damaris Mutua was also found dead in Iten. Her partner is suspected of the killing. Joan Chelimo, athlete and cofounder of Tirop's Angels, a group set up to combat gender-based violence after Tirop's death, said on Instagram she was «deeply shaken and outraged» by the attack on Cheptegei. «This senseless violence must end.» Latest figures from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics published in January 2023 found that 34 percent of women had experienced physical violence since the age of 15. In 2022 alone, Kenya recorded 725 femicide cases, according to a UN report, the highest number since data collection began in 2015. © Agence France-Presse

Organisers of this year's edition of the All African Artistic Dance Championship have expressed satisfaction at the large number of Seychellois dancers participating in the event this month. The World Artistic Dance Federation (WADF) is organising the event in collaboration with the Seychelles National Institute of Culture Heritage and the Arts (SNICHA), the Seychelles National Youth Council (SNYC), the School of Dance, and the National Arts and Crafts Council (NACC). In a press conference on Thursday, the organisers revealed that around 200 Seychellois dancers will join 33 of their international counterparts for the All African Artistic Dance Championship scheduled for September 13 to 15 at Berjaya Beau Vallon Bay. In addition to dancers from Seychelles, there will also be representatives from South Africa, Italy, Russia and Serbia. WADF ambassador, Mpho Kgatla, told the press, «The mistake last year was that we did not focus as much on the local dancers, but this year we have and we have an impressive turnout as a result.» WADF is a non-profit worldwide dance organisation with over 100 years of experience in dance, which also gives non-professional dancers a platform. The dance competition will take place on Saturday, September 14 from 11 am until late while on Sunday 14 the dancers will compete from 11 am to 6 pm. «We will finish a bit earlier on Sunday as the kids have to prepare to go back to school on Monday,» said Kgatla. During the action-packed two days, the dancers have seven categories they will compete in including Ballroom dances, hip-hop and Seychelles' traditional dances. The principal secretary for culture, Cecile Kalebi, said her department fully supports the event once the local dancers register for the competition as this will open doors for them on the international scene. In addition to the dance-offs, judges in the event, which will include 10 Seychellois and eight internationals, will attend a seminar on Friday, September 13, to cover the criteria of the competition as well as how to judge the dancers. Winners in the competition will win trophies, medals and receive certificates as well. Meanwhile, the organisers will also hold a workshop once the competition is over to determine how well the event went. 

A group of young Seychellois basketball players are participating in four days of training with two experienced former players of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) in the U.S.    The Basketball Clinic, which was officially launched on Monday at the Victoria Gymnasium, is part of a collaboration between the United States, the Seychelles National Youth Council (SNYC), and the Department of Youth and Sports. Speaking at the opening ceremony, the principal secretary for Sports, Ralph Jean-Louis, said this programme is in line with the goal of the Ministry for Family, Youth and Sports, to use sports as a mechanism for motivating youth to combat social ills. «I wish everyone a very exciting week, where you will share experiences and learn as much for your development in this sport,» he added.   The American Ambassador to Seychelles, Henry Jardin, was present for the opening of the training and shared his excitement to launch this initiative in Seychelles. «Sports is really one of the ways that brings people together and we are really excited to have such great sports envoys with great personal careers, experiences, and stories that they will be sharing with you throughout this coming week,» said the ambassador. Young basketball players are taking part in the four-day training. (Seychelles News Agency)  Photo License: CC-BY  The two former WNBA players who will be coaching the youth are Shay Murphy and Natosha Cummings-Price. Murphy is a former assistant coach of the Los Angeles Lakers and also played for the San Antonio Stars, Phoenix Mercury, and the Chicago Sky, why Cummings-Price is a former coach of the Cameroon women's national basketball team. «As a collegiate basketball coach in the U.S., I am hoping to be able to bring some of the Seychelles talent to the United States, but also to teach young players that despite your social background, it doesn't define your future and where you want to go in life,» said Cummings-Price. Murphy said, «We hope that this is a long term partnership where we will want to see Seychellois players in the WNBA and the NBA and even attain scholarships to put Seychelles on the map as well.» The chief executive of the SNYC, Albert Duncan, said that through partnership they decided to begin with a popular sport and eventually move to other areas. «In our discussions, we saw that there is not much interest in women's basketball in Seychelles, where there are not many women's basketball teams and we hope that these two coaches can inspire more girls to join the sport,» added Duncan. 

Russia struck the city of Lviv in western Ukraine on Wednesday, killing seven people and damaging historical buildings in a rare attack hundreds of kilometres from the frontline. The strike came as several Ukrainian ministers, including top diplomat Dmytro Kuleba, offered their resignations, part of a major reshuffle President Volodymyr Zelensky said would bring «new energy» to government. Russia has stepped up its aerial attacks on Ukraine since Kyiv launched an unprecedented cross-border offensive into Russia's Kursk region last month. «In total, seven people died in Lviv, including three children. The search and rescue operation is ongoing,» Interior Minister Igor Klymenko wrote on Telegram. The missile attack also wounded 40 people, damaging schools and medical facilities as well as buildings in Lviv's historic centre, according to the office of Ukraine's prosecutor general. The western city near the Polish border is home to a UNESCO world heritage site that covers its old town. It has been largely spared the intense strikes that have rocked cities further east. But at least seven «architectural objects of local importance were damaged» in Wednesday's barrage, regional head Maksym Kozytsky said. The assault on Lviv, which is sheltering thousands displaced by over two years of war, came a day after a Russian strike on the central city of Poltava killed 53 people, one of the deadliest single strikes of the invasion. The overnight attacks triggered renewed appeals from Ukraine for Western air defences, as well as long-range weapons to retaliate by striking targets deep inside Russia. - 'Inhuman screams' - «I heard terrible inhuman screams saying 'Save us,'» said Yelyzaveta, a 27-year-old resident of Lviv who rushed to shelter in her basement. Others like Anastasia Grynko, an internally displaced person from Dnipro, did not have time to reach a shelter. «The rocket hit our house. Everything was blown away. At the time of the explosion, I was somehow miraculously in the corridor, so I was not badly hurt,» she said. Zelensky denounced what he called «Russian terrorist strikes on Ukrainian cities». The attack on Lviv was part of a wider barrage on Ukraine, with 13 missiles and 29 drones launched at the war-torn country, the air force said. The air force said it downed seven missiles and 22 drones. Wreckage of a downed missile fell on the central city of Kryvyi Rig, Ukrainian emergency services said, damaging the Arena hotel and wounding five people. «The hotel is destroyed from the first to the third floor. Thank God, everyone is alive,» the city's head Oleksandr Vilkul said. Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmygal called for more air defence and for long-range weapons to strike Russia in the wake of the attack. The weapons delivered by Ukraine's Western partners since the invasion often come with restrictions prohibiting their use against most targets located inside Russia. The overnight attack took place the day after a Russian strike on a military education institute in Poltava killed 53 people and wounded 271 -- though authorities did not say how many of the victims were military or civilians. - Russia advances - Russia also said it was pressing on with its offensive in the country's east, claiming the capture of the village of Karlivka, the latest in a string of territorial gains. Karlivka is about 30 kilometres (19 miles) from Pokrovsk, a major Russian target that lies on a key supply route for the Ukrainian army. Russian President Vladimir Putin said Monday his army was making rapid advances in the Donbas that covers the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Lugansk. «We have not had such a pace of offensive in the Donbas for a long time,» he said. Ukraine was also on Wednesday in the midst of a major government reshuffle, as Zelensky seeks to boost confidence in the government two and a half years into Russia's invasion. Ukraine's wartime Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba submitted his resignation on Wednesday, a day after six other officials including cabinet ministers said they were stepping down. «We need new energy. And these steps are related to strengthening our state in various areas,» Zelensky told journalists when asked about the changes. Ukraine's parliament approved some of the resignations in a session Wednesday, with Kuleba's expected to be voted on later in the week. A source close to the presidential office told AFP that Zelensky and Kuleba «will discuss and decide» his future post. In a separate attack on Wednesday, Ukrainian shelling killed three people in occupied east Ukraine, according to the Russian-installed Donetsk region governor Denis Pushilin. © Agence France-Presse

Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted more than two dozen African leaders at a banquet in Beijing on Wednesday, kicking off the city's biggest summit in years with promises of cooperation in infrastructure, energy and education. China, the world's number two economy, is Africa's largest trading partner and has sought to tap the continent's vast troves of natural resources including copper, gold, lithium and rare earth minerals. It has also furnished African countries with billions in loans that have helped build much-needed infrastructure but also sometimes stoked controversy by saddling governments with huge debts. Twenty-five African leaders have arrived in Beijing or confirmed attendance at this week's China-Africa forum, according to an AFP tally, including some whose countries face a rising risk of debt distress. Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan welcomed guests as they arrived for a lavish dinner at the Great Hall of the People on Wednesday evening, live AFP footage showed. There was also a «family» photo of the gathered leaders and Xi will give a speech at an opening ceremony on Thursday morning. Chinese state media has lauded Xi this week as a «true friend of Africa», claiming Beijing's ties were reaching «new heights» under his stewardship. The Chinese leader had held talks with more than a dozen African counterparts in Beijing by Wednesday, a tally of state media reporting showed. Xi called during a meeting on Tuesday with President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria -- one of China's biggest borrowers on the continent -- for great cooperation in the «development of infrastructure, energy and mineral resources», state news agency Xinhua said. He also promised cooperation in «investment, trade, infrastructure, mineral resources» and other areas during talks on the same day with Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa. Xi backed Zimbabwe in its struggle against «illegal sanctions» imposed by the United States in response to corruption and human rights abuses by the country's leadership. - Geopolitical concerns - Analysts say that Beijing's largesse towards Africa is being recalibrated in the face of economic trouble at home and that geopolitical concerns over a growing tussle with the United States may increasingly be driving policy. «Deepening economic engagement with Africa across the board» is one of Beijing's key goals this week, Zainab Usman, director of the Africa Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told AFP. «In specific areas, even where such an expanded engagement may not make economic sense, it will be driven by geopolitical reasons,» she said. One goal may be narrowing the growing trade imbalance between China and Africa through increasing imports of agricultural goods and processed minerals, Usman said. «Meeting these African demands is in China's geopolitical interest to keep them onside in the tussle with the US.» For their part, African leaders are likely to seek backing for big-ticket items, as they have in the past, but also place greater emphasis on debt sustainability, analysts say. Recent deadly protests in Kenya were triggered by the government's need «to service its debt burden to international creditors, including China», said Alex Vines, head of the Africa Programme at London's Chatham House. Vines and other analysts expect African leaders at this week's forum to seek not only more Chinese investment but also more favourable loans in light of such events. © Agence France-Presse

The Seychelles' financial system remains stable, although various risk factors could impact it in the remaining months of the year, according to the Central Bank of Seychelles (CBS).   This follows two meetings of the Financial Stability Committee on August 12 and 20 to discuss matters that could potentially impact the country's financial stability observed during the second quarter of 2024. According to Nadine Boniface, the financial stability analyst at CBS, «This is as a result of the conflicts and geo-political tensions, as well as discord between countries in relation to global commerce.» Boniface said, «Since the inflation rate is expected to remain high, that also means that interest rates will likely remain high for a longer time and create some uncertainty about monetary policies.» In regards to local development, a reduction in tourism arrival has also had its impact and the CBS governor, Caroline Abel explained that as a consequence of a reduction in economic activities, it creates some uncertainty around the repayment of loans from bank clients. «This creates a financial problem for the banks, the CBS, and the Financial Stability Committee in general, where we have to ask if the financial system will remain resilient enough to continue its function if the economy does not perform on the level that it is supposed to,» she added. Tourism is the top contributor to the economy of Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean. Another issue that could affect the local financial system is the fact that there has been a bond default during the second quarter of 2024, where the issuer of the bond has been unable to grant the bondholders a return on their investment. Virginie Quatre, director of Capital Markets and Collective Investment Scheme Supervision Section in the Financial Services Authority (FSA), said, «This has numerous implications, including legal, as well as creating some uncertainty for the investors, who are not getting a return on their investment and interests.» Abel reiterated that Seychelles needs to remain vigilant and keep a keen eye on the various issues going on in the world to ensure that the financial sector can react quickly to anything that happens. This is to reduce its impact on the government and members of the general public. 

American navy vessel, USS Hershel «Woody» Williams, currently in Seychelles' Port Victoria as part of a routine port visit for the ship to conduct logistical and personnel support operations, opened its doors to defence personnel and local media on Tuesday. This is the ship's first visit to Seychelles since July 2022 and Commander Michael Concannon explained that this forms part of efforts «to make people better understand their capabilities and look for ways to enhance our cooperative efforts in Seychelles to increase peace, stability and freedom of shipping and commerce in the region.»  Also touring the vessel was the American ambassador to Seychelles and Mauritius, Henry Jardine, who said, «We had a very good very informative briefing on this vessel and what it can do, and it's a wonderful platform for that maritime domain awareness.» USS Hershel «Woody» Williams is the first navy ship assigned to the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) area of operations to conduct missions in the Mediterranean and the waters around East, South, and West Africa including the Gulf of Guinea. The vessel opened its doors to defence personnel and local media on Tuesday. (Seychelles Nation) Photo License: CC-BY  The vessel's visit to port Victoria comes a little after a year that the U.S. re-opened its embassy in the archipelago in the western Indian Ocean. «It is a wonderful opportunity to highlight how the United States is very much committed to supporting Seychelles in the work it does here in support of maritime domain awareness,» said Jardine. In March, the Seychelles Defence Forces (SDF) and the U.S. Coast Guard completed a second bilateral operation within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Seychelles under an agreement signed between the two countries in July 2021. The bilateral agreement between the two countries came about after both saw the need to promote greater cooperation in dealing with illicit transnational maritime activities. It was the first of its kind between the two countries and the first one between the U.S. and an eastern African country. Jardine also expressed his satisfaction that Seychelles is part of Operation Prosperity Guardian, a U.S.-led military operation by a multinational coalition formed in December 2023 to respond to Houthi-led attacks on shipping in the Red Sea. He said this shows that Seychelles is «recognising the impacts these have on shipping and is much affected by intra-dictions and threats in the Red Sea because it impacts on shipping which then has a higher cost on goods and commodities for the average Seychellois.» Seychelles has a vast Exclusive Economic Zone of 1.4 million square metres and Jardine said, «It is important for it to work with many partners - and does work very effectively with many partners and we feel very privileged that we have a chance to work with Seychelles.» Brigadier Michael Rosette, Seychelles' Chief of Defence Forces, said, «Seychelles is a great partner with the U.S. in the fight against any illicit activities in the Indian Ocean and of course, any of these activities have an effect or an indirect effect on Seychelles.» Rosette added that the best way to go forward to ensure commerce and trade continues in the Indian Ocean is to «have to work with our friendly partners in the Indian Ocean and we will continue to share intel and other activities that are ongoing with the U.S. so that we ensure that this area remains safe for us to continue.» The USS Hershel «Woody» Williams' namesake was born in 1923 in Quiet Dell, West Virginia, and is the sole surviving Marine from World War II to wear the Medal of Honour. 

A rescue mission was underway Monday for an oil tanker still ablaze after being attacked by Houthi rebels off the coast of Yemen last month, according to US Central Command. The Greek-flagged oil tanker Sounion was hit by the Huthis off the coast of Hodeida on August 21 while carrying 150,000 metric tons of crude oil. In a post on X, CENTCOM said «salvage efforts are underway» in the southern Red Sea for the disabled vessel, «which is still on fire and threatens the possibility of a major environmental disaster.» The Iran-backed rebels said they had booby-trapped and detonated charges on the ship. CENTCOM condemned such Huthi attacks as «reckless» and promised to «continue to work with international partners and allies» to protect trade and mitigate environmental impacts in the region. The European Union's Red Sea naval mission, Aspides, said earlier in the day that it would «provide protection to the tug boats, that will deal with the salvage operation and facilitate their efforts to prevent an environmental disaster,» according to a post on X. «Several fires continue to burn on the vessel's main deck,» the mission added, noting that there were «no visible signs of an oil spill.» The Sounion's crew, made up of 23 Filipinos and two Russians, was rescued the day after the attack by a French frigate serving with Aspides. The EU naval force was formed in February to protect merchant vessels in the Red Sea from attacks by the Huthi rebels, who have waged a campaign against international shipping that they say is intended to show solidarity with Palestinian group Hamas in its war with Israel in the Gaza Strip. According to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency, two other ships were struck in attacks off the coast of Yemen on Monday. CENTCOM reported the two ships were both crude oil tankers, one flagged by Panama and the other flagged by Saudi Arabia, with the latter vessel carrying approximately two million barrels of crude oil. © Agence France-Presse

An attempted jail break at the Democratic Republic of Congo's largest and chronically overcrowded prison this week has left at least 129 people dead, the interior minister said Tuesday. The circumstances around the bid to bust out of Makala prison in the capital Kinshasa in the early hours of Monday remain unclear. But Interior Minister Jacquemain Shabani in a statement released by video to the media on Tuesday announced a provisional death toll of 129 people. They included «24 who were shot after warnings», he said. At least 59 others had been wounded and were receiving care, he added. Witnesses told AFP that they had heard gunfire at around 2:00 am on Monday and that it lasted for several hours in the area of the prison, a popular and residential neighbourhood. Daddi Soso, an electrician in his 40s, said he had seen security force vehicles taking bodies away in the early hours. On Monday, police had cordoned off the streets leading to the prison, AFP journalists at the scene saw. The interior minister said many people had been crushed or suffocated and that a number of women had been raped. He gave no details on their identities. - 'Under control' - The authorities have given no indication as to how many inmates escaped or attempted to do so. On Monday morning, government spokesman Patrick Muyaya said only that the security services were at the scene and he called on residents to «not panic». A few hours later, he told national television the situation was «under control». Justice Minister Constant Mutamba later announced on X that inquiries were under way «to identify and severely punish the sponsors of these acts of sabotage». Makala prison, the biggest in the vast central African nation, has capacity for 1,500 inmates. But it is highly overcrowded and rights organisations regularly complain about the conditions of detention at the jail. With between 14,000 and 15,000 prisoners, it holds around 10 times the number it is meant to house, according to official statistics. As well as the human toll, the escape attempt caused damage to buildings. A part of the prison, mainly that housing the administrative offices, was set on fire, the government said. The prison was already badly damaged during an attack by armed men in 2017, which led to more than 4,000 prisoners escaping, some of them described as «dangerous» by police. The circumstances leading to that large prison escape were never made clear despite the establishment of a commission of inquiry. © Agence France-Presse

The Supreme Court of Seychelles on Monday ruled that the former Chief of the Defence Forces, Brigadier Leopold Payet, has no case to answer in the illegal possession of firearms case involving prominent businessman Mukesh Valabjhi and his wife, lawyer Laura Valabjhi.  The case relates to the seizure of more than 100 firearms and over 35,000 rounds of ammunition from the Valabhji home at Morne Blanc on November 18, 2021. This came after the couple was arrested in relation to a case of money laundering of a missing $50 million of funds granted to the government of Seychelles by the United Arab Emirates in 2002. Currently, only Mukesh Valabhji and former First Lady Sarah Zarqani Rene are awaiting the corruption trial. Two other persons were charged by the Supreme Court in the same arms case, Leslie Benoiton – a senior officer in the Seychelles Defence Forces (SDF), and Frank Marie - retired lieutenant colonel and presidential chief security officer. Chief Justice Rony Govinden, who is presiding over the case, ruled that the prosecution had not built a prima facie case against Payet and that he was acting within his duties at the time. All five accused had made submissions for no case to answer stating that the court would not be able to grant them a fair trial and that continuing would offend the court's sense of justice and propriety. The accused claim there was an abuse of process, as CCTV footage of the day the house was searched at Morne Blanc was missing, a laptop also went missing from the Valabhji residence, and there was no clear line of succession when handling evidence. The Supreme Court ruled however that the prosecution had presented a prima facie case meaning they had a case to answer. In view of the recent fire at the Remand Centre at Bois de Rose, the Valabhji couple have not been able to give directives to their counsel, who are based in the UK. For this reason, Govinden has granted the couple time to confer with their legal team before taking the next step in the trial. The case has been adjourned until Thursday, September 5 at 2 pm.

Seychelles' former President Danny Faure will lead a Commonwealth Observer Group at Sri Lanka's presidential election, which will be held on September 21. According to a press release on Monday, the 14-member group was deployed by the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Baroness Patricia Scotland, following a pre-election assessment mission to the country and an invitation from the Election Commission of Sri Lanka. Scotland announced the group ahead of the deployment in London, saying: «Election observation work is a core strength of the Commonwealth, providing vital support to the process and institutions of democracy across our member states, in line with the principles and aspirations of our Charter.» She added, «As part of their critical work, the Commonwealth Observer Group will comprehensively assess all factors impacting the credibility of the electoral process, including the pre-election environment, voting procedures, counting and tabulation processes, as well as the post-election environment following the announcement of results. Their findings will be presented in an interim report, followed by a final report with recommendations to further help strengthen future elections.» The Commonwealth Observer Group will be in Sri Lanka from September 15 to 27 and will be supported by a seven-member staff team from the Commonwealth Secretariat, led by Lindiwe Maleleka, political adviser in the Electoral Support Section of Governance and Peace Directorate. Scotland also expressed her gratitude to the chairperson, who will lead the group, and to each of the eminent experts, drawn from across the Commonwealth, who will participate in this important assignment.     The independent observer group will determine whether the election complies with Sri Lanka's electoral laws and meets relevant regional, Commonwealth, and international standards. Observers will adhere to the International Declaration of Principles for Election Observation, which the Commonwealth was one of the original signatories to at the United Nations in 2005, to ensure the professionalism and credibility of election observation. At the end of the assignment, the COG will submit a comprehensive report containing their observations and recommendations to the Commonwealth Secretary-General. This report will subsequently be made public and shared with the government of Sri Lanka, the Election Commission, political parties, and Commonwealth member governments.  

An Israeli labour court on Monday ordered a halt to a strike called by the country's largest union to support a deal that would secure the release of hostages held in Gaza. «We are issuing a nationwide order to forbid the strike that was launched, stating that the strike must stop today» effective immediately, the Tel Aviv Labour Court said in its ruling seen by AFP, citing the «politically motivated» nature of the strike. The court ruling came after Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich -- a far-right leader who opposes a truce in the war -- called on the court to move to ban the strike. The court pointed to a statement by Histadrut union's chairman to determine the strike was not called for economic reasons. «We cannot stand by while our children are being murdered in the tunnels in Gaza,» the union's chairman Arnon Bar-David said on Sunday to explain the need for a strike. The union is authorised to call for strikes only economic reasons and workers' rights but not over political issues. The Histadrut trade union called a nationwide strike beginning at 6:00 am (0300 GMT) Monday. Mass demonstrations erupted on Sunday after the army announced troops had recovered the bodies of six hostages from Gaza. The health ministry said the six had been shot from close range by Hamas. Parts of Israel were shuttered after the strike, though several sectors were unaffected. Ben Gurion international airport near Tel Aviv saw some flights delayed, and none at all for two hours leading up to 10:00 am. Tel Aviv and the northern coastal city of Haifa heeded the strike calls, but not all municipalities slowed down or ceased their activities © Agence France-Presse

Africa faces a disproportionate burden from climate change and the costs of adapting, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said in a new report on Monday. The African continent has been warming at a slightly faster rate than the global average -- at about 0.3 degrees Celsius per decade between 1991 and 2023, the WMO said in its report on the state of the climate in Africa last year. North Africa experienced the most rapid warming, it said. The city of Agadir in Morocco reached a new maximum temperature of 50.4 degrees. Other countries saw extreme rainfall leading to flooding. Climate activists have long pointed out that Africa pays one of the highest prices for climate change while the continent is responsible for just a fraction of global greenhouse gas emissions. The UN's COP29 climate summit, which will be hosted by Azerbaijan in November, will focus in large part on how much wealthy industrialised nations should contribute to help poorer countries adapt to climate change. «Africa faces disproportionate burdens and risks arising from climate change related weather events and patterns,» Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko, commissioner for agriculture, rural development, blue economy and sustainable environment at the African Union Commission, said in the WMO report. They «cause massive humanitarian crises with detrimental impacts on agriculture, and food security, education, energy, infrastructure, peace, and security, public health, water resources, and overall socio-economic development,» she said. In September and October, around 300,000 people were affected by flooding across 10 countries, with Niger, Benin, Ghana and Nigeria most heavily impacted. That came months after flooding hit Libya and parts of East Africa, the WMO, the United Nations' weather and climate agency, said. Zambia faced its worst drought in 40 years, affecting around six million people, while a string of other nations also grappled with severe drought in 2023, WMO said. «Climate extremes including floods and droughts had a major impact on food security,» the report said. African countries on average are losing two to five percent of gross domestic product and «many are diverting up to nine percent of their budgets responding to climate extremes», the WMO said. If adequate measures to respond are not implemented, by 2030 an estimated up to 118 million people who live on less than $1.90 a day will be exposed to drought, floods and extreme heat in Africa, it said. «This will place additional burdens on poverty alleviation efforts and significantly hamper growth,» according to the report. The UN agency highlighted the urgent need to invest in improved data collection and forecasting and early warning capabilities. «Between 1970 and 2021, Africa accounted for 35 percent of weather, climate and water-related fatalities. Yet only 40 percent of the African population has access to early warning systems –- the lowest rate of any region of the world,» the WMO said. © Agence France-Presse

An agricultural sector that is supported and functioning well plays a crucial role in ensuring food security in Seychelles and helps reduce the reliance on importation, said the Seychelles Farmers' Association chairperson. Andre Sopha, from Praslin, the second largest island of the Seychelles archipelago, has been the chairperson of the Association for six years. Sopha has been a farmer for 18 years and specialises mainly in livestock and fruits. He has served two mandates and told SNA that this will be his last and that election for the new chairperson and executive committee are expected to be held this year. The Seychelles Farmers' Association set up in the early 2000, has over 110 members from the three main islands of Seychelles, Mahe, Praslin and La Digue. Around 40 farmers are from Praslin. With the high demands for produce from the population and the tourism industry, there is a need to increase agricultural production and sustainable agriculture. Sopha said, «We have undertaken major climate adaptation projects in two educational institutions namely the Grand Anse Praslin Secondary School and the Seychelles Institute of Agriculture and Horticulture (SIAH). The two projects are doing very well. Both projects have been funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) - Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (GEF SGP).» The chairperson said that the Association has received 12 greenhouses, 10 are for farmers across the three main islands, one at Grand Anse Praslin Secondary School and the other at SIAH. The Association will also have solar water pumps and machines they can use to make value-added products for example, if farmers have excess oranges on their farms, they can use one of these machines to make a value-added product with these fruits. The Association's board will be holding a meeting to discuss which farms will benefit from these and a few elements will need to be taken into account including being up to date with their membership contribution. The equipment will not be given free of charge and those who will receive it will have to make a small contribution as well. Sopha (1st left) with the Seychelles' delegation at an international conference. (Andre Sopha) Photo License: All Rights Reserved    Challenges farmers face Sopha said, «Farms do suffer a lot during drought periods. So we hope to have a project at Amitie to help with this issue. We also face several other challenges such as a lack of resources for us to work with such as pesticides and fertilisers, which can impact our work and productivity.» He said the Association is working to ensure that there is an availability of resources for farmers to work with and one of them is land needed for farming. «Land is also an issue because we have individuals who want to start their farming business but cannot do so as plots of agricultural land are occupied by some farmers who are not being productive. We are working closely with the government to see how best we can address this issue whereby those interested in venturing into farming can do so by accessing a plot of agricultural land,» the chairperson explained. Giving knowledge and skills One of the aims of the Association is to ensure that its members are given new knowledge and skills to help them improve their businesses. «We bring in experts in respective fields to equip farmers with the latest information or skills on different elements such as fertiliser and how to measure acidity or humidity in the soil,» Sopha explained. He said the Association wants a vibrant and productive agricultural sector and that there is a need to see it as an important sector that is making a great contribution to Seychelles. Encouraging the youth to venture into agriculture To ensure that the agricultural sector remains sustainable for the years to come there is also a move to include more young people. To encourage young people to join the agricultural sector, Sopha said the Association is bringing in the use of technology in agriculture. «The world is evolving and so must agriculture. We have chosen two schools to work with because our young people are based there. At Grand Anse Praslin Secondary we have a rotavator which we have placed there for a period of time for the students to use, and have installed a new irrigation system that you only press a button and it waters the plants,» he shared.  «This is to encourage the youths not just to take up farming but to make them realise that even in agriculture there is evolution, to see that new technology exists within this sector, and the tiring ways of farming can be replaced by smart work,» he added. «We need to have good incentives and proper educational awareness on agriculture so that this young generation can take an interest in this field. So we need to find innovative ways to encourage our young people to continue developing our agricultural sector because we want to ensure food security and successful production in the future,» Sopha said. «I meet the authorities often but we need to see more actions being done and to hear the concerns of the farmers working on the ground. Farmers need to be part and parcel of decisions made which concern and heavily impact their work,» he added.